I actually saw a documentary on this place a couple of months ago. Aside from the tar lake, the thing I best remember is how the geography causes all the houses of the poor people nearby to subside. Continually.

They showed bunches of men who would get together regularly and help each other out. Using a car jack, they lifted the ramshackle wooden houses up so they could add yet more logs under to approximate the horizontal for a while longer. It was one of those 'is this pathetic or humorous' moments - I chose to smile, because they all did. Crazy life. Thanks 31d1.posted by peacay at 9:34 AM on January 13, 2006

Weird. Neat. Thanks for the link.posted by raedyn at 9:39 AM on January 13, 2006

I'd love to see this lake. It actually looks amazingly beautiful.
posted by fossil_human at 8:52 AM PST on January 13

Thanks for the link. My boyfriend and I were in Trinidad and Tobago in June. He desperately wanted to visit the Pitch Lake, but we didn't have the time. We did, however, visit some pitiful looking mud volcanoes. We were the only ones there to see them and the locals picnicking nearby didn't give them any notice.posted by Constant Reader at 9:47 AM on January 13, 2006

This is really interesting - thanks!posted by Dr. Wu at 9:49 AM on January 13, 2006

It's because I clicked on the second link first, which is not much of a link, and was therefore unprepared for the single link that preceded it to be as good as it was.posted by OmieWise at 10:03 AM on January 13, 2006

If one were to dig a hole about a foot deep in any of the backyards in the area, the hole would most likely be filled with pitch the next day.

It is said that Christopher Colombus used pitch from the lake to patch one of the boats he used to sail to the island in 1496.

The sun reflecting off the pitch results in the air above it getting very hot. Birds are occasionally seen 'cooking' their catch by placing it on a branch or other such obejct protruding from the lake.

Before the lake was more formerly developed as a tourist attraction the tours were less formal. Walking down the street to the lake one would more often than not be approached by numerous locals all claiming to be tour guides and offering their services...sometimes in a very aggressive manner..

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